Hurricanes Have Final Say, Oust Gators 9-7 In Gainesville
Feb. 18, 2005
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – (www.hurricanesports.com) The Miami-Florida baseball rivalry lived up to expectations as the second-ranked Hurricanes scored three runs in the top of the ninth to defeat the 15th-ranked Gators, 9-7, in front of 4,169 fans at Alfred A. McKethan field on Friday night.
In a game that featured seven lead changes or ties, Miami had the last word. Trailing 7-6 heading into the ninth, the comeback burden rested on the shoulders of the strength of the Hurricane lineup. Junior third baseman Ryan Braun smacked a one-out single off Conner Falkenbach for his third hit of the game. Left fielder Jon Jay drove Braun home with his third game-tying RBI of the night with a triple to right center to tie the game at 7-7. Sophomore transfer Danny Valencia followed Jay with a bunt down the first base line that drew in UF first baseman Matt LaPorta. LaPorta fielded the ball but his throw home wasn’t fast enough to catch Jay as he slid across home plate for the game-winning run.
Roger Tomas knocked in Valencia for an insurance run and a 9-7 cushion.
Jay finished the night 3-for-4 from the plate with a double, triple and four RBIs. The top of the Miami order (Danny and Paco Figueroa, Braun and Jay) was a combined 11-of-18 hitting with seven runs and five RBI. All nine batters in the Miami lineup collected hits for the Hurricanes.
Senior Brandon Camardese pitched two-thirds of an inning in relief with one strikeout to pick up his first win of the season. Sophomore Danny Gil closed out the game in the ninth and earned his second save of the season.
Danny Figueroa started the game with a leadoff double and advanced to third on an infield single by his brother, Paco. Braun’s sacrifice fly to center was deep enough for Danny Figueroa score from third to put Miami up 1-0.
Florida took the lead in the bottom of the second on a two-RBI single by Brian Leclerc that brought in LaPorta and Matt Jeroloman. Jeroloman scored from first on a throwing error by Braun and the Gators led, 3-1, at the end of two.
The Hurricanes evened the score at 3-3 in the third inning with a two-out, two-RBI double to left field by Jon Jay that brought in Walter Diaz from third and Braun from first base.
LaPorta put a 2-0 pitch over the wall in left-center to lead off the Gator half of the third to reclaim the lead at 4-3. Paco Figueroa stole home in the top of the fifth to tie the game at 4-4. The Gators went up, 5-4, in the bottom of the sixth when a fielding error by Diaz at second allowed Justin Tordi to score from second base.
Falkenbach replaced Horne in the seventh and was greeted with three straight hits by the Hurricanes. A single by Danny Figueroa, bunt by Paco Figueroa and single by Braun loaded the bases with no outs. Jay drove in his second run of the game with a deep sacrifice fly to center that scored Danny Figueroa and advanced Paco to third. Paco took advantage when Florida unsuccessfully tried to catch Braun stealing second and scored to give Miami the lead for the first time since the first inning, 6-5.
Just like every other lead in the game, Miami’s was short-lived. LaPorta followed Jeff Corsaletti’s leadoff single in the seventh with his second home run of the night on the first pitch he saw from Hurricane reliever Jon McLean to give Florida a 7-6 lead.
Hurricane starter Cesar Carrillo pitched 5.2 innings and gave up six hits, five runs, three earned runs and struck out five in the no-decision. Horne finished with five strikeouts in six innings and gave up four runs and nine hits for the Gators.
The two teams meet Saturday at 12:30 p.m. in the second game of the three game series.
Notes: Miami moved to 8-0 for the first time since the 1988 season… The Hurricanes are 22-0 over the last two seasons when Carrillo pitches… Paco Figueroa’s steal of home was the first by a Hurricane since Javy Rodriguez stole home against Florida International on Feb. 22, 2002.
